1st September, 2021
The Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, has threatened to embark on a nationwide strike if the Federal Government should implement a hike in electricity tariff.
There have been reports of purported hike in electricity tariff, taking effect from September 1, 2021.
NLC President, Ayuba Wabba said the congress wanted to believe that the new move was just speculation.
Wabba, in a statement on Wednesday, titled, ‘Notice on speculations on increase in electricity tarrifs,’ warned that the NLC would not fold its arm and allow an increase in electricity tariff.
He drew the attention of the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige to the wave of speculation, especially as widely reported in the media that there were fresh plans to grant approval to Electricity Distribution Companies to hike electricity tariff.
According to Wabba, “We write to remind the Honourable Minister that Organised Labour on September 28, 2020, through the Federal Government – Organised Labour Committee on Electricity Tariff agreed to freeze further increases in electricity tariff until the committee concludes its work and its report adopted by all the Principals in the Committee.
“It is in light of this that we dismiss the ongoing speculation on increase in electricity tariff as mere speculations.”
He said the NLC, however, found it prudent to put the minister on notice that should government make true the swirling speculation by approving an increase in electricity tariff, the Organised Labour would be left with no option than to deploy the industrial mechanisms granted in it laws for the defense of workers’ rights.